Garment closures



Nov. 25, 1958 H. ALFANDRE GARMENT cLosUREs Filed Aug. 18. 1955 .FIGJO ATTORNEYS United StatesA Patent O GARMENT CLOSURES Harry Alfandre, Jamaica, N. Y., assignor to Scovll Manufacturing Company, Waterbury, Conn.

Application August 18, 1955, Serial No. 529,293

6 Claims. (Cl. 2-265) This invention relates generally to a garment closure and particularly to a garment closure for a ladys undergarment.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a releasable type garment closure which is connected to an elastic strip in such manner as to insure that the elasticity of the elastic strip is unimpaired by its securement to the closure.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new, simple and improved means for preventing the unraveling of the free or unfinished edges of a garment closure made of fabric.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved releasable type garment closure made of fabric which is connected to an elastic strip by means which insure that the elasticity of the elastic strip is unimpaired, said connecting means being further effective to prevent unraveling of the garment closure along the free or unfinished edges thereof. y

Still a further object of the present invention is the provision of a generally new and improved garment closure which is simple in design andconstruction, which may be mass produced at low cost, and which is eminently suitable for its intended purpose.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary rear view of a garment having a closure formed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a garment closure embodying the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a composite fastener segment shown in Fig. 2, with some parts removed to more clearly illustrate the construction of said composite fastener segment;

ICC

The garment closure 10 comprises complementary releasably interengageable fastener segments 14 and 16 having releasable interengageable fastener elements 18 and 20, respectively, secured thereto. At least one ofsaid fastener segments, here shown as fastener segment 14, is

connected to an elastic fabric strip 54 in a manner to Ibe described more fully hereinafter. The composite fastener segment 14 comprises fabric material 24 having a plurality of spaced fastener elements 1S, secured thereto and exposed on one face 26 thereof, said fastener elements of the instant embodiment being arranged in two laterally spaced rows r with each of said rows comprising a series of spaced fastener elements 18. Of course, composite fastener segment 14 can be provided with any number of rows of fastener elements 18 and, as is shown in Fig. 6, composite fastener segment 14 is therein provided with three rows r of fastener elements 18. Pursuant to the usual construction, each row r of eyes 18 is adapted to be releasably interengaged with a single row r1 of companion fastener elements or hooks 20 which are spaced corresponding to the spacing of said eyes 18, the plural number of rows r providing for a range of adjustability of the garment closure.

The fabric material 24 comprises a base layer 30 having folded over portions 32 which are collectively coextensive with the base layer. By folding over portions 3,2, the upper andV lower or transverse edges 34 and 36 'of composite fastener segment 20 are finished or folded over edges which will not normally unravel. Furthermore, it will be seen that the side or longitudinally extending edges 38 and 4t) of composite fastener segment 14 are free or unfinished and, accordingly, the fabric along said edges can be readily unraveled which is clearly vundesirable. Superposed on the folded over portions 32 of layer 26 are a plurality of securement strips 42' having folded over marginal edge portions 44, said securement strips being secured to the base layer 3l), with the eyes 18 disposed therebetween, by means of lines Iof stitching 46. Each of the eyes 18 includes a pair of eyelets 48 which are adapted for securement to the fabric material 24 for securing the eyes 18 thereto, said lines of stitching 46 including transverse portions which extend through the eyelets and the fabric material. The lines of stitching 46 provide for the securement of the strips 42 and theV eyes 18 to the base layer 30. It will be apparent from Fig. 3

that the lines of stitching 46, including the portions 50 Fig. 4 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 3 illustrat- Y ing a modified form of composite fastener segment embodying the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View similar to Figs. 3 and 4 illustrating a further modification of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a plan view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating another modification of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a sectional View taken along the line 8-8 u of Fig. 4;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9 9 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. l0 is a sectional view taken along the line 10-10 thereof which extend through the eyelets 48, extend through to the inner face 30 of the fabric material. The marginal edge portions of the securement strips 42 are thus constituted by doubled-over portions of said strips and said marginal edge portions overlie the eyelets 50 and are secured to the fabric layer 30 by the lines of stitching 46. The marginal strip 52 of the outermost securement strip 42 is folded under said strip to provide a finished outer edge S6 therefor which edge registers with the edge 36 of base layer 30.

Pursuant to the present invention, a strip of elastic material 54 is disposed between the folded over portion 32 of base layer 30 and the folded over portion `52 of the bottommost securing strip 42. Elastic material 54 is inserted between said portions until it butts up against the bottom edge of the securing strip 42. The elastic strip 54 is incorporated into the garment closure in order to provide some elasticity to the body encircling garment to facilitate respiration and to compensate for'possible gain or loss of weight of the wearer.

In order to securely incorporate the elastic strip 54 into the composite fastener segment 14, a strip of unset flexible plastic material is disposed around the free or unand two parallel strips are disposed so as to overlie-the folded edges 36 and 56 of the base layer 30 and the securing strip 42', respectively, and are thereafter set so as to form flexible U=shaped binding 58 thereon. U-shaped binding 5,8 overlies free edges 38 and 40 and the edges 36and 56 in sealingrelationship with the material adjacent said edges. The binding is of suiiicient strength to securely weld elastic strip 54 to the base layer 3,0 and the securing strip 42'. By so securing-elastic strip 54n to the composite fastener segment, the elastic material in elastic fabric strip 54 is left undamaged and, accordingly, the unirnpaired elasticity of strip 54 is insured. Furthermore, it will be seen that the longitudinally extending portions 60 of U-shaped binding strip Sti-prevent access to the unfinished or free edges 38- and 40 of composite fastener segment 14 and thereby prevent unraveling of the fabric therein. It is to be noted that a composite fastener segment made in accordance with the present invention not only is provided with the simple means for securing the elastic strip 54 thereto and also for preventing unraveling of the fabric in said composite fastener segment, but these two highly desirable ends are achieved in one simple operation.

As stated above, binding 58 is made of a flexible plastic' material. The presently preferred plastic is rubber which may be disposed on fastener segment 14 in its uncured condition and thereafter vulcanized in a heated mold under pressure to securely weld elasticfabric strip 54 to the fabric 24.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 8, a modification of the invention hereinabove described as illustrated. In the form shown in Figs. 4 and 8, the construction of the cornposite fastener segment 14 is substantially identical to the construction shown in Fig. 3. However, as has been noted heretofore, transverse stitching 50 extends through the back of hase layer 30 and thereby tends to make the back of the base layer 30 rough. Since the back' of the composite fastener segment is adapted to be in surface-tosurface contact with the wearer, it is desirable to have said surface as smooth as posible. In order `to achieve a smooth backl for the composite fastener segment 14, a backing 62 overlies layer 30 and is substantially coextensive therewith. After said backing is brought into overlying relationship with the layer 30, the binding S8 is secured to the composite fastener segment in a manner substantially identical to the manner heretofore described so as to securely fasten elastic strip 54 to the `composite, fastener segment and also to securely incorporate backing layer 62 therein. It will be noted, of course, that the free or unfinished edges 38 and 40 of the composite fastener segment 14' illustrated in Figure 4 are covered by the flexible plastic binding 58 in order to prevent unraveling thereof. i

Referring now to Figs. and 9, another modification of a composite fastener segment embodying the present invention is illustrated. In the form shown in Figs. 5 and 9, in addition to the backing layer 62 being incorporated therein, a cushioning layer 64 is also provided. Cushioning layer 64 not only further insures a smooth surface on the back of composite fastener segment 14, but assures that the entire composite fastener segment 'will be comfortable against the skin of the wearer because of the additional padding of layer 64. It is believed clear that the method of securing cushioning layer 64 and backing layer 62 to the remaining parts of the ,composite fastener segment and for connecting the elastic l; AV composite fastener segment, comprising a s trip of inelastic fabric material having longitudinally extending free edges, a fastener element disposed on one face of said strip, a transversely extending securing strip overlying a portion of said fastener element, stitching extending through said inelastic strip material and said securing strip for securing said Strips and said fastener element together, an elastic strip having an end portion thereof disposed between said securing strip and said inelastic fabric strip, a layer of soft textured fabric material overlying the opposite face of said inelastic strip and being substantially coextensive` therewith, a fabric backing overlying said soft textured material and being substantially coextensive therewith, and a Ueshaped flexible plastic binding, said binding extending along and overlying the longitudinal edges of said composite fastener segment for securing said soft textured material and said backing to said inelastic fabric strip, whereby to prevent unraveling along the free edges of said inelastic fabric strip, said exible plastic binding further extending along the transverse edges of said composite fastener element overlying said elastic strip, whereby to incorporate said elastic strip into said composite fastener segment without impairing the elasticity thereof.

2. A composite fastener segment comprising a sheet material member, a fastener element secured to one face of said member, a cushioning member overlying the other face of said sheet material member, a backing member overlying said cushioning member, each of said members having a pair of opposite free edges, and exible binding means encompassing all of the associated free edges of said pairs, respectively, to form opposite finished marginal edges, respectively, for said segment, each binding means being secured in stitchless relation to its associated free edges.

3. A composite fastener segment comprising a sheet material member, a fastener element secured to one face of said member, a cushioning member overlying the other face of said sheet material member, a backing member overlying said cushioning member, each of said members having a pair of opposite free edges, and exible binding means encompassing all of the associated free edges of said pairs, respectively, to form opposite nished marginal edges, respectively, for said segment, each binding means being secured in stitchless relation to its associated free edges, said binding means comprising flexible plastic bindings sealed to said asosciated free edges, respectively, along said opposite marginal edges, respectively, of said segment.

4. A composite fastener segment comprising a sheet material member, a. fastener element secured to one face of said member, a cushioning member overlying the other face of said sheet material member, a backing membeoverlying said cushioning member, each of said members having a pair of opposite free edges, and flexibleV binding means encompassing all of the associated free edges of said pairs, respectively, to form opposite finished marginal edges, respectively, for said segment, each binding means being secured in stitchless relation to its associated free edges, said binding means comprising ilexible plastic bindings sealed to said associated free edges, respectivelj/,valong said opposite marginal edges,

vrespectively,of said segment, an elastic strip extending fromav third edge of said segment, and a flexible plastic binding sealed Vto said elastic strip and said third edge for securing said elastic strip to said segment.

5. A composite fastener segment, comprising a strip of inelastic fabric material having a plurality of layers, each of which layers has opposite unfinished marginal edges, said edges being encompassed by a liexible plastic binding in stitchless, sealing relation therewith to prevent unraveling of said `layers of inelastic fabric along said marginal edges, a fastener element secured on one face of said strip, an elastic strip extending across another marginal edge of said inelastic fabric strip, and a exible plastic binding in stitchless sealing relation with said another marginal edge of said inelastic strip and with said elastic strip for connecting said inelastic strip to said elastic strip, whereby to incorporate said elastic strip into said composite fastener segment Without impairing the elasticity of said elasticstrip.

6. A composite fastener segment, comprising a strip of inelastic fabric material having a plurality of layers, each of which layers has opposite unfinished marginal edges, said edges being encompassed by a flexible plastic binding in stitchless, sealing relation therewith to prevent unraveling of said layers of inelastic fabric along said marginal edges, a fastener element disposed on one face of said strip, a fabric securing strip overlying a portion of said fastener element and said strip, stitching extending through said inelastic strip material and said securing strip for securing said strips and said fastener element together, an elastic strip having an end portion thereof disposed between said securing strip and said inelastic fabric strip and extending across another edge of the latter, flexible plastic binding in sealing relation with said securing strip yancl said elastic strip for connecting said securing and elastic strips to one another, and flexible plastic binding in sealing relation with said another edge of said inelastic fabric strip and said elastic strip for connecting said inelastic strip and said elastic strip to one another, whereby to incorporate said elastic strip into saidA composite fastener segment without impairing the elasticity of said elastic strip.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,914,148 Meagher June 13, 1933 2,224,036 Van Voorhis Dec. 3, 1940 2,706,816 Dozier Apr. 26, 1955 2,724,835 Connors Nov. 29, 1955 2,746,412 Roseman May 22, 1956 

